K D Kragen

biography

K D Kragen is a philosopher, writer, teacher, editor, husband, father
and grandfather. Interests include Aikido and Iaido,
riding his motorcycle (Veronica), and running.

A 3rd generation San Franciscan, K D grew up in the Italian District
of the city. He played guitar with his friend Lenny (on accordion) and
they performed at Italian parties and weddings, planning later to travel
through Europe. Such plans were short-lived, as the Vietnam War was on
and K D's number came up. He was drafted but
got into the U.S. Coast Guard; served 4
years in SAR (search and rescue) and ATON (aids to navigation).

After the service he married the love of his life, Janet, who helped him
gain an appreciation of classical literature and he helped her gain an
appreciation of classical music. Despite all his education, many are
surprised to learn that K D hadn't learned to read until the fourth
grade, and hadn't read a full novel until he was in high school. Early favorite writers: Robert E. Howard, H. P. Lovecraft, Ray
Bradbury, and Jules Verne. With his Veterans benefits he went to college and got a
B.A. in Philosophy and two graduate degrees in Philosophy. It was during his college years that
he began writing. He completed his first short story "The Chairs" in
1984.

In 1989 K D and family moved to Bainbridge Island, WA where he got a
job washing dishes at the Streamliner Diner, joined a local writers
group, and started his first novel titled Creatures of the Heart.
(Note: he worked at the diner until his wife told him he's no longer
allowed to work outside the home; after that his writing output
increased dramatically.) Since then he's finished 8 novels with two more
in progress.

K D recently finished his seventh novel, the third in the series of The KillWare Chronicles, called The Accidental Prisoner, and eighth novel, third in the series of The Creature Chronicles, called Space Leviathan. His fourth novel, Plagueman, was released in December 2005 through ArcheBooks and is available for sale online as well as from your local bookstore. The Accidental Prisoner came out in early 2014 and is available in paperback and on Kindle.

For the past twelve years K D has been the managing editor of Scandia
Patch Press, and for four years he was a faculty member of an
experimental college Trumeau College Of The Arts, heading the philosophy
department. When he's not writing novels, working on cars, editing the
strange works of other local writers, speaking at writers conferences,
cooking dinner or pumping out book reviews, K D is usually trying to
get a little sleep.

quote: "'I would have perished, had I not perished' still is and
will be my life motto. This is why I have been able to endure what long
since would have killed someone else who was not dead."
(Soren Kierkegaard Journals and Papers. Hong & Hong, eds. I.U. Press, 1978, v.6, pt.2, p.9.)

inspiration

What I listen to when I'm writing:magnatune - open music record label
radio rivendell - fantasy music radio station broadcasting straight from
Imladris, Middle-Earth
radio yasoo - the most Israeli Greek radio
Sky FM - best multi-channel internet radio
soma fm - drone zone groove salad atmospheric ambient space music
house indie pop cliphop downtempo chill from san francisco
streaming soundtracks - film scores/soundtrackscinemix - vast free online sountracks-mix station

in memory

R.I.P. Geoffrey Carroll Kragen (1912-2003)

Geoffrey Carroll Kragen, a second generation San Franciscan, died
peacefully at 91 years old on Wednesday, 12 November 2003, in
Silverdale, Washington. He went happily to be with his Lord and Savior,
Yeshua Mashiach. He leaves behind his lovely bride of fifty-eight years,
Treva Viola, three sons, Geoffrey C., Lance Paul, and K David, a
granddaughter, Colleen Beth, and a great grandson, Dante Shalom von
Foerster. read more...